There For Her
by Strawberry Shortcake123
Summary: Jeb isn't sure what he thinks of Max and Fang's relationship. Some Fax. Oneshot. Not the best summary or title in the world, please read!


**Disclaimer: (I always forget to do these but not today!!!) Don't own Maximum Ride, glad I don't. I'd ruin all the good that JP has done. : )**

Jeb Batchelder watched from the window of Dr. Martinez's house as the six children made their way across the front yard. However, four of them melted into the background as he focused on the two leading the way, their hands entwined and swinging between them.

Of course, it had been two and a half years since he'd known them-- _really_ known them. They'd all changed a lot in that span. And Max and Fang… were _together_. Sure, they had always trusted each other more than anybody else. They could read each other like books. Their relationship was something he'd always found interesting, as a psychology minor in college. But he would have never imagined this.

Jeb shook his head and turned away from the window. Oh, who was he kidding? He saw it coming. How could he _not_? It was something else that was bothering him, some sort of foreign feeling. It was… what was it? Nothing he was familiar with, for sure.

A glance over his shoulder, out the window, showed him a quick kiss between Max and Fang. Jeb cringed and realized what he was feeling.

Protectiveness. Protectiveness towards his biological daughter.

His biological daughter who no longer trusted him.

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I rang the doorbell to my mom's house and leaned on the porch railing. I could sense Fang looking at me, and I turned my head and smiled at him. He smiled back, that grin that made my heart beat a little faster, and then the door opened, ruining the moment.

"Mom!" I cried, hugging her, and then my half-sister. "Ella!"

The flock all crowded through the doorway at once, and hugs were exchanged all around. Well, Fang just nodded at the two of them as I led him right to the kitchen in search of chocolate chip cookies.

And look what the cat dragged in. _Jeb_, just leaning on the counter, looking expectant.

"I figured you'd be coming in here soon," he said, walking slowly towards me and Fang with a little smile on his face.

"Yeah," I said dismissively, starting to walk around him. But he held out his arm. I scowled up at him. "Can I help you?"

"I want to talk to you about something," he said, and nodded at the unoccupied dining room.

Fang and I exchanged a glance. The thought of talking to Jeb, alone, sounded less appealing than fighting off fifty Erasers. On my own. With a missing foot. "If Fang can join us."

Jeb shot a look at Fang, who raised one eyebrow and held up our entwined hands. "I go where she goes."

My father's gaze turned back to me, and I looked at him cockily. "We're kind of a package deal."

"Yes, well," he said, a cocky look of his own spreading across his face. "I think you remember the pain I'm capable of putting you through, correct, Maximum?" I felt Fang stiffen, and I did too. "You wouldn't," I snarled quietly.

"I would. I want to talk for your own good, Max."

"Fine," I said through gritted teeth, and slowly let go of Fang's hand. Our eyes met, and he stroked my hair once, silently asking if I was okay. I nodded very slightly and followed Jeb into the dining room as if I was reporting to my death sentence.

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Jeb sat down across from Max, his hands folded neatly in front of him. Max sat straight and rigid in her chair with his arms crossed tightly over her chest. "Okay. What is _sooo_ important that you just _had_ to talk to me _right now _without Fang?"

He refused to be moved by her hostile tone. "I notice you and Fang have gotten very… close."

"_What?_" she shrieked, sitting straight up. "That's what this is about? You're going to lecture me about _Fang_?"

"You're my daughter," he said calmly. "I want to make sure you're being treated right and--"

"Being treated right?" Max yelled, jumping out of her chair. "_Right_? You, who was involved in experiments on innocent children that left them two percent _bird_? You, who betrayed us and left me to be in charge at twelve years old? Why should I listen to _anything_ you say?" Angry tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she blinked them back rapidly. Jeb just stayed stoic, but inside he ached as he realized how much he had really hurt his only daughter. "Fang was with me for ten years while we were trapped in the School. Fang was with me when we escaped. And when you betrayed us, _Fang_ helped me through it. _Fang_ has never left my side, and _you_, of all people, shouldn't have a say in it!"

She marched over to the door, flung it open, and stomped outside. Jeb quickly followed. He stepped out just in time to see Fang kiss Max's forehead before she headed for the pantry, in search of cookies once again.

Then Fang's eyes met Jeb's, and they looked at each other for a few long moments. Finally, Fang broke the silence. "She took it really well."

Jeb tried to stop a scowl from spreading across his face. Sarcasm always annoyed him. "I want to talk to you, too, Fang."

If Fang was surprised, he didn't show it. He just shrugged and slipped past Jeb, into the dining room, and slouched down in the chair Max had occupied a minute earlier.

Jeb didn't sit down this time. As the door was shut behind him, he merely went to stand across from Fang. The kid just stared at him, no expression on his face.

"I was a teenage boy once, too, Fang," he began. "Boys are pretty stupid at your age. I know from personal experience. I hurt some girls. All teenage boys do, and I'm concerned about my daughter getting mixed up with one."

"I wouldn't hurt Max," he said coolly.

"You did once," Jeb replied quietly.

Something flashed in the boy's eyes, but his voice remained calm. "That _was_ stupid of me, but I promised her I'd never leave her again. And I'm going to keep that promise."

Jeb narrowed his eyes at Fang. "You say that, but what if something else happens? What if you decide you don't want to be with her anymore? Fourteen is very young for a relationship--"

"When we went your opinion, we'll ask for it," he said quietly, his dark eyes piercing.

"Can you be there for her when she needs you?" Jeb demanded.

Fang chuckled. "Better than you can."

Eyes narrowed, he took a step closer to the boy. "You don't understand why I left. I had to. I--"

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's part of the big picture, we'll understand eventually, blah blah blah." Fang stood up so the two of them were eye level. "Here's what I understand: the day you were gone, I was there for Max. You had abandoned us and I was there. Just like when we were four and we fell asleep every night holding hands between our cages. You might have been the good guy for two years, but I've been there for fourteen. And I will continue to be there for her, until we die."

Jeb was stunned. During the time he knew Fang, he'd _never_ heard him talk this much at once. He stared right into the glare and knew that everything he'd just said was true. Fang really cared for Max. And he would give Jeb's daughter the love, the comfort, the loyalty that Jeb himself wasn't able to give her.

Fang took advantage of the silence and slipped out of the room silently. This time, Jeb didn't follow. He just stood in the dining room, staring at the ceiling.

His attempts at coming across as a protective, caring father had failed.

But that was okay.

Fang would take care of her.

**Yuck. Don't like how this turned out, but I'm going to post it anyway. I especially hate the ending. And writing Jeb's thoughts is hard. And Fang is OOC while Jeb's talking to him. Thoughts?**


End file.
